Poem Analysis - Dompna Pois De Me Nous Cal

Initial Impression and Tone

Ezra Pound's "Dompna Pois De Me No'us Cal" presents a speaker who is deeply affected by the rejection of a beloved lady. The poem begins with a tone of despair and longing, as the speaker laments the loss of his lady's affection. However, the mood shifts as the speaker decides to create an idealized lady by borrowing traits from various women he encounters. This shift from despair to a more determined and imaginative state is a key aspect of the poem's emotional journey.

Themes of Love and Loss

The primary theme of the poem is the speaker's experience of love and loss. The speaker's initial despair is evident in the lines "Lady, since you care nothing for me, And since you have shut me away from you Causelessly, I know not where to go seeking." This sense of loss and rejection sets the stage for the speaker's subsequent actions. The speaker's love is so profound that he cannot imagine finding another lady who compares to the one he has lost. This theme is developed through the speaker's vivid descriptions of the traits he admires in various women, highlighting the depth of his longing and the idealization of his lost love.

Imagery of Borrowed Traits

The speaker's decision to create a "borrowed lady" by taking traits from different women is a central image in the poem. This imagery serves multiple purposes. First, it underscores the speaker's desperation and his inability to move on from his lost love. By borrowing traits, he attempts to recreate the idealized image of his beloved. Second, it highlights the speaker's imaginative and creative response to his despair. The speaker is not merely passive in his grief; he actively seeks to construct a new object of affection. This imagery also raises questions about the authenticity of love and the extent to which love can be constructed or imagined. Does the speaker's borrowed lady truly replace his lost love, or is she a mere substitute?

Symbolism of the Phantom Lady

The "phantom lady" that the speaker creates is a powerful symbol in the poem. She represents the speaker's attempt to fill the void left by his lost love. The phantom lady is a composite of various traits borrowed from different women, each contributing a piece to the idealized whole. This symbol underscores the speaker's longing and his inability to let go of his lost love. The phantom lady is also a testament to the speaker's creativity and his refusal to accept his loss passively. However, the phantom lady is ultimately a substitute, and the speaker's final lines reveal his continued longing for his original beloved. The phantom lady, therefore, serves as a poignant reminder of the speaker's unrequited love and his ongoing struggle to come to terms with his loss.

Conclusion

In "Dompna Pois De Me No'us Cal," Ezra Pound explores the themes of love, loss, and the power of imagination. Through vivid imagery and symbolism, the poem delves into the speaker's emotional journey from despair to a more determined and imaginative state. The speaker's creation of a "borrowed lady" highlights his longing and his attempt to fill the void left by his lost love. The phantom lady serves as a powerful symbol of the speaker's unrequited love and his ongoing struggle to come to terms with his loss. Ultimately, the poem offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of love and the human capacity to imagine and create in the face of loss.